Barrel



Patented Aug. 31, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BARREL G-unnar Lindwall, Oslo, Norway Application February 7, 1951 Serial Not 209,722

The invention. relates to animprovement in barrels for the transportation and. storage of liquid and solid materials, and it relates more particularly to improved means for securing the heads, of barrels in position and in liquid-tight relation to the barrel walls.

According. to the. present invention, the barrel wall, which may consist of a hollow, cylindrical 1611 formed of plywood, compressed fiber, laminated, impregnated paper and the like, has hoops mounted inside its opposite ends to support the heads of the barrel. The needs may consist of discs formed of, material similar to that of the shell having tapered peripheries for cooperation with retaining hoops of wedges shaped cross"- section, mounted outside the heads. The confronting inclined edges of the disc and hoop are generally complemental and may be brought into tight sealing. relation by forcing the hoop against the barrel wall and the edge of thedisc. Suitable sealing or packing material such as, cotton, wool,

impregnated paper, string or the likemay be mounted in grooves in the retaining hoopand/or the edgeof the disc to insure a liquid-tight seal.

The retaining hoops aresplit and have wedging surfaces on their free ends so that the hoops can be expanded into tight engagement with themner walls of the barrels. The wedging action can be obtained with an expander for the hoops or by means of a separate wedge driven between the ends of the hoops. In either case, the ends of the hoops and the wedging means are secured to the wall of the barrel by means of suitable retaining clips, nails, studs or the like to prevent inadvertent detachment of the hoops and heads of the barrel.

The hoops may alsobe attached. to the barrel shell by means of pins, nails, studs or the like. a

A reinforcing hoop formed of plywood or the like may be mounted on the exterior of the barrel adjacent each end. These hoops. extend from the outer edge of the wall practically to the. inner end of the. supporting hoop. The reinforcing hoop may be protected and, stiffened by means of a metal hoop. To facilitate the attachment of this metal hoop, the reinforcing hoop may be slightly conical or tapered. i

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying draw- Claims. (Cl. 217-78) Fig. 2 is a similar fragmental section through the center part of the barrel wall;

wall of the shell l0.

wedging action of the hoopit.

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of a clip to attach the retaining hoop to the barrel shell;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the clip of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in section through the barrel wall and the ends of the retaining hoop taken on a.v plane perpendicular to the ends of the barrel, and

Fig. 6 is a View in section through the wall, hoop and head of the barrel showing a modified type of seal. therefor.

The barrel illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings includes a cylindrical shell It formed of plywood. The shell has heads H at its opposite ends, these heads being formed of plywood or other suitable material. Each head I I is supported in the shell by means of an: internally mounted hoop 12 of plywood which is spaced from the end of the shell W. The inner edge of thehoop l 2 may be tapered as at l3 to facilitate the emptying of the barrel.

Each end of the barrel shell It may be reinforced with a suitable exterior reinforcing hoop M which emends from the end of the shell to about the outer edge of the supporting hoop [2. The barrel shell may be reinforced further by means of a metal hoop I5 which is forced over the hoop M and secured thereto by punched in tongues IS on the hoop 15. The hoop 14 may be tapered toward the end of the shell to facilitate the application of the hoop I5 to it.

The disc or head I! at each end of the barrel has abevelled or inclined surface H at its outer edge for cooperation with a complementally inclined surface l8 on a retaining hoop I9. The hoopl9. hasa generally wedge shaped lower crosssection which enables it to be wedged tightly between the surface I! of the head I l and the inner A liquid-tight seal may be obtained between the surfaces H and I8 by inserting a sealing orcaulking composition, such as impregnated cotton, wool or paper cord, in a groove 20 in the inclined surface I? of the head III, this' composition being compressed by the Also the outer surface of the hoop T9 or the inner surface of the shell It) may have a groove 2| in it to receive a sealing cord or the like to prevent leakage between the shell [0 and the outer surface of the hoop [9,

As shown in Fig. 6, sealing of the barrel may be accomplished by providing the outer surface easily.

3 These ends are slightly tapered so that they converge downwardly. The hoop I9 is of less outer circumference than the inner circumference of the shell so that the hoop can be inserted into and removed from the shell easily.

When the hoop is inserted into the end of the shell II] to secure the head I I in position, the ends of the hoop I9 are forced apart and a tapered wedge 25 i inserted between the free ends 23 and 24. The wedge is driven inwardly to expand the hoop I9 into tight engagement with the inner wall of the shell and the hoop is further driven into the shell so that its surface I8 is in tight engagement with the surface I! of the head II. The lower edge of the wedge 25 may also be tapered and provided with a groove in its outer surface to receive a caulking or sealing compound, as described above. When the hoop I9 is sealed tightly against the barrel shell IE3 and the head II, the hoop is secured in position by means of nails 26, wires, pins or the like extending through the hoop I9, the shell I9 and the reinforcing hoop I4. The wedge 25 may be fixed in position by means of a clip 21 having a fiat plate 28 to engage the inner surface of the wedge, and a bent over flange 29 to engage the end of the Wedge and the end of the shell I9. The flange 29 carries teeth 39 which may be driven into the end edge of the shell I9. A nail 26 is then driven through the hole 31 in the plate 28, into the hoop I9 and the shell Iii to secure the clip 21 and wedge 25 in position.

The clip 21 may also be used at other points around the barrel to secure the hoop IS in position. 7

The head I I of the barrel can easily be removed by pulling out the fasteners 29, prying up the clips 21 and knocking out the wedge 25. This releases the hoop I9 and the head I I.

The construction of the hoop I9 can be varied somewhat. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, the ends of the hoop I9, may be tapered lengthwise and overlapped. This hoop should be about the same in circumference as the inner circumference of the shell. It can be expanded against the wall of the shell ill by sliding its inclined ends on their inclined surfaces. The ends of the expanded hoop are then secured in overlapping position by means of a clip 2? like the clip 21!, described above.

To enable the barrel to be rolled easily, a hoop 33 of plywood orthe like may be secured to the outside of the barrel at about its mid-portion as shown in Fig. 2. The hoop 38 should be thicker than the combined thicknesses of the hoops I 4 and I5.

The above described barrel constructions are strong and liquid-tight and can be assembled, disassembled and reassembled without difficulty. They are light in weight and can be handled Inasmuch as the barrels are adequately reinforced at their ends and the heads are wedged and secured in position at the reinforced portions of the barrel, the heads are not easily dislodged even when the barrels are handled roughly.

It will be understood that the barrels may be varied in shape and size and that they may be constructed of materials other than plywood, if desired. Therefore, the barrels chosen for purposes of description shouldbe considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A container for liquids and solids comprising a substantially cylindrical hollow shell, a closure for each of the ends of said shell, one of said closures including a disc-like head having a peripheral surface including a cylindrical edge portion and an acutely beveled peripheral edge and a groove in said edge, packing material in said groove, a shoulder in said shell to support said head against inward movement with said beveled edge facing outwardly and the cylindrical edge portion adjacent to said shoulder, a split hoop on the opposite side of said head from said supporting hoop, said hoop having an inner edge portion of wedge shaped cross section fitting between the shell and the beveled edge of said head in wedging engagement therewith and in sealing engagement with the packing material in said groove, and means to expand said split hoop to force it tightly against the interior of said shell to anchor said head against movement out of said shell.

2. A container for liquids and solids comprising a substantially cylindrical hollow shell, a shoulder member inside said shell adjacent one end, a disc-like head supported against inward movement by said shoulder, said head having a peripheral surface including a cylindrical edge portion and an acutely beveled edge, a split hoop on the opposite side of said head from said shoulder, said hoop having opposed free ends and a beveled edge complemental to the beveled edge on said head and engageable therewith to wedge said hoop between said head and said shell, one of said beveled edges having a groove therein, packing material in said groove and engaging the other beveled edge to effect a seal therewith, and wedge means at said free ends of said split hoop to expand said hoop into engagement with said shell.

3. The container set forth in claim 2 in which the inner surface of said shell has a circumferential groove opposing said split hoop, and a sealing material in said groove to seal said' hoop to said shell. 7

4. The container set forth in claim 2 in which said split hoop has a circumferential groove in its exterior surface, and a sealing material in said groove to seal said hoop to said shell.

5. The container set forth in claim 2 in which the ends of said split hoop converge inwardly, and the wedging means comprises a tapered wedge engaging said ends to expand said hoop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,171,376 Wirth Feb. 8, 1916 1,420,019 Cappel June 20, 1922 1,941,189 Quimby et al Dec. 26, 1933 2,485,645 Norquist Oct. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,678 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1895 13,985 Great Britain 1898 15,323 Great Britain 1900 23,272 Great Britain Oct. 24, 1902 

